Jewish Survival Guide עם ישראל חי

I was waiting to write until I heard all the details. My social media had so many feelings and information. I wanted to know for sure who was in the coffins, shaking my head in disbelief that the ceremonies were not only for the living hostages. Hamas had a grand celebration, with children watching and cheering. It brought me back to October 7, 2023 in Los Angeles, it was Simchat Torah, and I was not on any electronic devices. I started hearing about the atrocities on the streets, and as I sat in my synagogue watching celebrations and dancing on this beautiful holiday, I had one thought. It sounded like the Holocaust, and I really felt that the world would open their eyes and stand with Israel and the Jewish people this time.

What a shock when the exact opposite happened. The world was quiet, and there was no urgency to return our hostages of all ages, the youngest were the Bibas brothers. Even before Israel defended itself, there were already celebrations on campuses. Women shouting that rape was resistance, queers for Palestine, and people of all colors finding it so easy to hate and blame Jews.

Most Jews were heart broken that all the causes they stood proudly with, were not reciprocated. What still hurts the most is fellow Jews, even now as we learn that it was the Bibas brothers in two coffins, but their mother was not there. Hamas threw in another corpse, and this is another example of how they treat their own people in life and in death. Oded Lifshitz was in the fourth coffin, and he was a peace activist that helped Gazans get medical help, and they turned on him. Fellow Jews that are so strongly standing for all sides, and feeling so good while forgetting their own Jewish brothers and sisters.

The Jewish survival guide is how the Jews are still here. I have been given such beautiful perspectives and words through my Jewish brothers and sisters sharing their feelings and thoughts on social media. I feel so deeply connected to my Jews all over the world, we are all family. That is our secret, that is how we have persevered. No matter your background, religious level, orientation, color or gender, we are one.

What you will notice in the following list of the Jewish Survival Guide, is that everything is about living now, being present fully, relationships and living life to the fullest with purpose. Just look at history, we are still here, and we will survive this too, together.

• The Torah is our guidebook. Any scenario that you see has already happened, There are lessons, deep meaning, and a way to move forward from anything and everything.
• There is a deep spiritual connection that we are born and raised with. It is something we can turn to, to get through and allow ourselves to feel. Thank God, Baruch Hashem that we are connected to God and to each other.
• Jewish unity and connection is so powerful, and even more so after October 7. We are proud to be unapologetically ourselves and support each other using our voices loud and proud.
• Jewish learning teaches us that we are unique and have a purpose that nobody else can fulfill. We bring our own powerful light, and have to illuminate everyone and everything around us.
• Where we shine the most, is we keep memories and loved ones alive in our hearts and through our actions. We do Mitzvot in their honor, and name our babies after family and great leaders in our history.

עם ישראל חי